1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrical connector. More particularly the invention relates to an electrical connector installable upon an electrical cable having an annular corrugated outer conductor by application of axial compression without disassembly of the connector.
2. Description of Related Art
Connectors for corrugated outer conductor cable are used throughout the semi-flexible corrugated coaxial cable industry.
Previously, connectors have been designed to attach to annular corrugation outer conductor coaxial cable using mechanical compression via threaded connections between a body and an interface operable to clamp a leading edge of the outer conductor. Typically, the clamping is made against a clamping surface of the interface that is beveled to match the angle of a flared leading edge of the outer conductor. Clamping the leading edge of the outer conductor against the clamping surface is a thrust washer or the like, usually disassociated from the body to prevent twisting or tearing of the leading edge(s) of the outer conductor and or spring finger(s) as the body and interface are rotated with respect to each other.
Spring finger rings with a plurality of spring fingers tipped with an inward projecting bead at the end of each spring finger have been used as the thrust washer. The spring fingers deflecting over the leading edge of the outer conductor and settling into the first corrugation trough, where the inward projecting beads can then clamp against the back side of the outer conductor leading edge. To allow the spring finger ring to be rotationally disassociated from the body, a series of retaining grooves, steps and or shoulders have previously been applied, resulting in a connector requiring extensive machining steps during manufacture and having a significantly increased body diameter and overall weight.
Competition within the cable and connector industry has increased the importance of minimizing installation time, required installation tools, and connector manufacturing/materials costs. Also, competition has focused attention upon ease of use, electrical interconnection quality and connector reliability.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector and method of installation that overcomes deficiencies in such prior art.